Orange-Chocolate Marble Cake

I don't know what it is with Marble cakes,every time I bake one and am about to cut it,I wait in anticipation.How would it look inside,did I overdo the marbling or was I too preoccupied with getting the patterns right,so on and so forth.But believe me when I tell you,planning never works with marble cakes.However you do the marbling,you would not end up with same patterns.Every marble cake,for this same reason,is unique.

Unlike the regular combination of Vanilla and Chocolate,marble cake can be made with different flavors.Cinnamon can be replaced with vanilla and coffee with chocolate.Or maybe mint and chocolate,or caramel with banana?I somehow went back to my favorite flavors of all time-Orange and Chocolate.

As I was getting the ingredients for this cake ready,I was reminded of the very-artificial-flavored Orange Marble cake of my schooldays.I think it was called Wondercake,beautiful patterns in orange colour and chocolate,it used to taste delicious then and was regular picnic fare as it was easy to carry and many flavors to choose from.

However,one bite into this one and I realized how better a homemade version tastes.No artificial colour or flavor,just the tang of freshly squeezed orange juice and zest paired with dark chocolate in a buttery and moist cake.Do try this simple recipe and you wouldn't go back to the store-bought version,I guarantee.
Orange Chocolate Marble Cake
Recipe source - Joy of Baking

Ingredients

Bittersweet/Semisweet Chocolate - 140 gms,chopped(I used Morde Dark Compound)
Instant Coffee powder - 1 tsp
All purpose flour - 2 1/4 cups / 295 gms
Baking powder - 2 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Unsalted butter - 3/4 cup / 170 gms
Granulated white sugar - 1 1/4 cups / 250 gms
Zest and juice of 1 Orange
Eggs - 3 large,room temperature
Yogurt/sour cream - 1/3 cup /80 ml
Milk - 1/2 cup /120 ml

Method

Preheat oven to 180C.Grease and line a 10' Bundt tin or a 2lb/9' by 5' loaf pan.
 
In a small bowl mix together sugar and orange zest until the sugar becomes moist and flavorful.Keep aside.
In a heatproof bowl, placed over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate with the coffee. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.OR
 
Microwave the chocolate in a heatproof bowl for 1 minute on full power.Stir in the coffee powder,mix well and keep aside to cool.
 
In another bowl sift together flour,baking powder and salt.
 
In the bowl of your stand mixer(or use a hand mixer with a bowl)beat the butter until smooth.Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
 
Add eggs one at a time beating after each addition.Beat in the vanilla and sour cream/yogurt.
 
With the mixer on low speed,alternately add the flour and milk to the batter in three additions beginning and ending with the flour.
 
Remove a little more than half of the batter and place into a separate bowl. To the remaining batter stir, or beat, in the melted chocolate and juice of 1/2 an orange. Place the batters into the prepared loaf pan by alternating spoonfuls of vanilla batter with the chocolate batter. Then, with the end of a wooden skewer or knife, gently draw swirls through the batter to marbleize it. Don't over mix.
 
Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 20 minutes before removing the cake from the pan to cool completely. Prick a few holes on top with a toothpick and drizzle in the rest of the orange juice.Can dust the top of the cake with cocoa powder or powdered sugar.

Serve warm or at room temperature. This cake is best the day it's made, but it will keep for a couple of days at room temperature or it can be frozen.